School Board Meets To Discuss Budget Shortfall Remedies

Fayette County School Superintendent Tom Shelton met with school board members Tuesday to discuss the budget shortfall situation.

Fayette County Schools Superintendent Tom Shelton has offered to take a pay cut to help alleviate a reported $20 M budget shortfall

Credit Fayette County Public Schools

Specifically Shelton and board discussed what district leaders learned during three round-table meetings held over the past two weeks with parents, students and educators.

All felt the sessions were so successful, they plan to implement similar open meetings on a yearly basis. Shelton laid out several concerns and suggestions given and said there are areas in which the budget will be cut.

Shelton and the board agreed that communication needed to improve both from the district office and with parents in order to prevent misinformation from spreading.

Among the suggestions given by faculty was the possibility of cutting two days from the employee work year.

Shelton said if this were to be added as an option to close the $20 M budget deficit, the time off would not come from instruction days and it would apply to all staff members in the district, not just teachers. The budget is scheduled to be presented to board members in May.